Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Quilt Shop Rehab Begins

The quilt shop has finally moved to the worktable. I've been working on furniture and accessories without a real Plan. It seems prudent to get the structural rehab finished so I'll know how to proceed. Here is the old master bedroom, before. The floor is in relatively good shape, so I think it will get a sanding, light stain, and varnish. Mini OSHA would not like the stairwell (against the back wall) open, so I've ordered ballusters and railings to enclose it. I believe I'll construct the railings to be removable for ease in dusting/decorating. (What a great place to hang mini miniature quilts!) The doorway on the right connects with the bathroom. I've ordered doors for this opening and the one on the other side that leads into the proprietor's living area. This is the wallpaper. I think once it had a white background, now yellowed with age, grime, and chemicals from unsealed wood. Just like in a real house, rehab reveals surprises. This flowered wallpaper was under parts of the blue striped. It doesn't appear that the wooden walls were primed prior to wallpapering. I think I will prime the raw wood with gesso and give the interior walls a fresh coat of ivory or cream paint -- a plain background to set off the quilt shop's details. After the real life quilt show exhibit, new wallpaper can go up over the paint. The ceilings are papered. You can see how the chemicals in the wood have changed the color. It seems to be glued tight. I'm going to try to use gesso and white paint right over the paper. If that doesn't work, I guess I'll have to scrape it.

Here is the room all cleaned up. The basin of water I used for cleaning was so dirty that I think I could have planted watermelons in it. :)

The living room is painted, so there was no wallpaper to remove. The green shag carpeting was tacked in place, so it was easy to take up. The "tiled" area by the front door appears to be Contact paper, the same as in the bathroom. A hair dryer softened the glue but there is a slightly sticky residue. The floor is stained. I think it may get sanded and then a coat of light gray paint with an eye to installing carpeting after the quilt shop moves out. This photo shows one problem area: mini OSHA wouldn't like the stairway without a handrail, so it will be added when I make the upstairs railing.

Here is a shelving unit I made to hold fabric bolts. I've put just a few on it to give the idea. It's made of balsa and will be painted. It's open on both sides with additional shelves on the end cap. The feet are made of wooden beads glued together. No special reason to use the beads; they're what I had on hand. I'm not sure where the shelf unit will be placed. I'd like the viewer to be able to see both sides and the end -- that makes it tricky.

Here is the unit in the room, along with a shelving unit that will hold yarns, thread, and other small items, maybe batting. It fits on the wall with the fireplace and will be behind the cutting table/counter, I think. The doors between this room and the dining room and kitchen will get trim added, but not doors.